The Government is also committed to effective government. While freedom of information is important, it cannot be the major determinant of how the Government conducts its business. All organisations have the right to decide how to organise their business and the Government is no different. Our work is complex. In reaching decisions on important economic and social issues the Government has to look at different alternatives and approaches, debate these freely and then reach a joint decision on behalf of the community. The framers of the original Act recognised this when they enshrined in the Act key protections for Government records which would last five years. It was also recognised that these records had to be protected.